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KABUL – India is treading carefully as Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi prepares to visit New Delhi under a UN travel waiver, with officials in New Delhi stressing “no change” in their official position toward Kabul while quietly deepening channels of communication.
At a press briefing, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs avoided confirming the details of Muttaqi’s engagements or whether the trip signals a step toward recognition of Afghanistan’s authorities. Questions about India raising concerns over minority rights and girls’ education were also left unanswered, reflecting New Delhi’s strategic ambiguity in dealing with Kabul’s leadership.
Diplomatic observers note that the trip underscores India’s balancing act — maintaining its $3 billion worth of investments and humanitarian commitments in Afghanistan, while also managing regional security sensitivities. Since 2022, India has cautiously re-established a presence in Kabul with a technical team at its embassy, facilitating aid distribution and monitoring development projects.
High-level contacts have also grown: Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Muttaqi in Dubai earlier this year, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar spoke with him by phone in May — the first publicly acknowledged political engagement at that level since 2021. Ties have warmed on select issues, including India’s alignment with Kabul during its standoff with Pakistan over airstrikes in Paktika and Kabul’s condemnation of the April terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
New Delhi has also continued to send humanitarian aid through UN agencies, portraying itself as a reliable partner in crises while stopping short of extending formal recognition. Analysts say India’s cautious approach reflects its effort to secure its strategic interests in Afghanistan, keep communication lines open, and avoid ceding ground to rival powers in the region.
